14-05-2025
Panama City officials hope to improve pedestrian safety with potential trail system
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – The stretch of Highway 98 from the Hathaway Bridge to Lisenby Avenue is one of the deadliest roadways in the state.
Multiple pedestrian deaths have occurred this year alone.
Now, Panama City officials are moving forward with a project that would improve walkability and pedestrian safety in the area.
Tuesday, commissioners matched a $405,000 FDOT grant to fund planning of the Panama City Rails with Trails program.
'It's part of an overall over 18 miles worth of trails that we're doing within the city. And we're so excited to have a partnership with everybody and funding a portion of that project. And so the first phase is coming from Gulf Coast State College to Michigan Avenue, following just north of the railroad tracks,' Panama City Commissioner Josh Street said.
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The trail system would establish routes serving the Port facility, FSU Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, schools, parks, businesses, and a variety of neighborhoods.
By using land adjacent to railroads, officials hope it will minimize the need to cross busy streets and improve pedestrian safety.
'By focusing our efforts and creating sidewalks on other streets, as well as making improvements to that roadway, it makes us a safer place to live. Because the reality is as expenses increase, people are making decisions to walk or bike to work, or to get groceries, or to do those things. And we want to encourage that because it's part of a healthy lifestyle. But it's also a way that you can, you know, participate in the economy in a different way,' Street said.
The project is over three years in the making, and is still at least a couple of years away from groundbreaking.
Officials say as long as state-funded grants for the project keep coming in, they'll keep making progress on the project.
They say the funds approved Tuesday will get the designs for multiple phases to 60 percent completion.
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